US names Rubio, Blair and Kushner in Gaza board under Trump’s plan

WASHINGTON - The White House on Jan 16 announced names of the so-called “Board of Peace” that will, under US President Donald Trump’s plan, supervise the temporary governance of Gaza, which continues to see deadly violence despite a fragile ceasefire that went into effect in October.

The names included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Mr Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, the White House said. Mr Trump is the chair of the board, according to his plan revealed late last year.

Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas signed off in October on Mr Trump’s plan, which says a Palestinian technocratic body will be overseen by an international so-called “Board of Peace” that is meant to supervise Gaza’s governance for a transitional period.

The board also includes private equity executive and billionaire Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga and Robert Gabriel, a Trump adviser, the White House said, adding that Mr Nickolay Mladenov, the former UN Middle East envoy, will have the role of high representative for Gaza.

The White House statement did not lay out the responsibilities of each member.

Many rights experts and advocates have previously said that Mr Trump overseeing a board to supervise a foreign territory’s governance resembled a colonial structure, while Mr Blair’s involvement was criticised last year due to his role in the Iraq war.

Major General Jasper Jeffers, a former US special operations commander, was appointed commander of the International Stabilization Force, the White House said. A UN Security Council resolution, adopted in mid-November, authorised the “Board of Peace” and countries working with it to establish that force in Gaza.

Israel and Hamas have accused each other of ceasefire violations in Gaza, where since the start of the truce in October over 440 Palestinians, including more than 100 children, and three Israeli soldiers have been reported killed.

Israel’s assault on Gaza since late 2023 has killed tens of thousands, caused a hunger crisis and internally displaced Gaza’s entire population. Multiple rights experts, scholars and a UN inquiry say it amounts to genocide. Israel has said it took action in self-defense after Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages in their October 2023 attack. REUTERS